Occupational Safety and Health(OSH)

Purpose Of The Division
Factory Inspectorate
Occupational Health Services
Research And Development
Training And CIS Information Services

Purpose Of The Division

The OSH Division exists to promote Occupational Safety and Health in Zimbabwe  through the establishment and maintenance of an effective occupational safety and health culture based on comprehensive accident and ill health preventive systems at all workplaces. In the process OSH reduces the number of claims on the funds that NSSA manages.

The Division has four departments namely:

Factory Inspectorate, 

Occupational Health Services,

OSH Promotions and Training

Research and Development.

The OSH Director also reports to a tripartite organization called the Zimbabwe Occupational Health and Safety Council (ZOHSC) which comprises government, employers and labour unions.

Factories Inspectorate

The Factories and Works Inspectorate is established in terms of the Factories and Works Act Chapter 14:08 and is headed by the Chief Inspector of Factories The department’s majors functions are to:

• Register and control factories
• Read and approve factory and works development plans.
• Inspect machinery and equipment including boilers to ensure compliance with the Factories and Works Act and regulations thereof.
• Ensure industrial hygiene to prevent occupational diseases.
• Carry out inspections of workplaces to identify hazards and opportunities for improvement.
• Investigate accidents to identify root causes and prevent recurrence
• Prosecute employers on gross disregard  of OSH laws
• Generate revenue for the Workers Compensation Insurance Fund when inspectorate services are paid for.

The department of Occupational Health Services is created by the Pneumoconiosis Act Chapter 15:08 and is headed by the Senior Medical Officer. Its main objective is to:

• Deliver Occupational Health services to the nation of Zimbabwe through the administration of the Pneumoconiosis Act and its regulations to prevent occupational diseases in the workplace.

Key Activities
The department’s major activities are to:

• Carry out effective occupational health surveillance in the workplace.
• Process applications for medical certificates of fitness (read x-rays) for employees to work in dusty occupations.
• Carry out medical examination of workers where necessary to diagnose industrial diseases.
• Supervise all industrial clinics registered with NSSA.
• Audit medical accounts of industrial clinics and hospitals registered with NSSA to determine correct medical procedures and charges for refund.
• Co-ordinate the activities of the national Medical Bureau and the Medical Board.

The majority of the OSH services are paid for and the charges are extremely reasonable.       

OSH Promotions and Training

The OSH Promotion and Training Services are established by Statutory Instrument 68 of 1990: National Social Security Authority (Accident Prevention and Workers’ Compensation Scheme) Notice, 1990. The department is headed by the OSH Promotion and Training Manager and its main objective is to put occupational safety and health on the company and national agenda.  It conducts:

• The Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management Course (OSHEMAC) concurrently in Harare and Bulawayo twice annually.
• The annual conference on safety and health at work (SHAW) and the safety awards dinner in September or October.
• Workshops and train the trainer courses in all the six regions of NSSA (Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo and Chinhoyi).
• Company based training on the formation of safety and health committees and the establishment of occupational safety and health management systems.
• Safety representative courses when needed.
• Walkabout sessions to assist with the identification of workplace hazards.

Research And Development

• This department is headed by the Chief Research and Development Officer and its main objective is: To provide research based solutions to occupation safety and health challenges in the workplace and to develop improved alternative ways of promoting and sustaining high standards of occupational safety and health in Zimbabwe.

      Key Activities

1. Occupational safety and health research.
2. Industrial hygiene services to identify, evaluate and determine appropriate control measures for workplace hazards.
3. Compilation, collation and interpretation of statistical information to assist in the national planning of relevant OSH programmes.
4. Research on and set out reviewed or new standards on occupational exposure limits.
5. Provide scientific occupational laboratory services in support of field work in industry.
6. Provide Ergonomic services for workplace and machinery or equipment designs to promote good occupational health for employees.
7. Carry out studies on psychosocial factors in the work environment to benefit both the employer and employee.

Training And CIS Information Services

CIS-NATIONAL  INFORMATION CENTRE

CIS stands for Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

• The Information and Documentation Centre has been in existence since 1987 and houses the CIS-Information National Unit which forms part of the worldwide network of CIS National Centres.  The focal point is ILO's International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) based in Geneva.
• The centre operates under the formal agreement between ILO/CIS and NSSA under the Ministry of Labour and Social Services.

Mission

• To ensure that the Information and Documentation Centre is the prime supplier of occupational health and safety, social security and related information in the country.

Objectives

1. To establish up to date CIS Information Centre on Occupational Safety and Health based on International practices.
2. To provide workers, employers, the public and the occupational safety and health community with up to date and current information and capacity to prevent occupational accidents and diseases.
3. To facilitate proper and effective management of Occupational Safety and Health in Zimbabwe.
4. To facilitate research to influence national practices in the design of various OSH Programmes in order to address potential working environmental hazards.

Purpose of the Centre
The purpose is to provide users, internally as a priority and externally with access to information.

To achieve this the centre:-

1. Collects, processes, produces and disseminates information on Occupational Health, Safety, Social Security, Loss control and risk management matters to staff, government services, employers, employers' organization, employees, trade unions, health and safety practitioners, students and the public in general.
2. Updates the information using internal, local and international sources.
3. Obtains access to remotely held databases; establish new links and maintain current links with similar organizations worldwide.

     Key Activities

1. Public inquiry services
2. Reference inquiries
3. Current awareness
4. Advisory services
5. Book loans
6. Document photocopying
7. Films (16mm) and video tapes loan
8. Computerized literature searches of CD-ROM databases
9. Emergency information services
10. Update OSH training programmes by supplying up to date and current information.
11. Establish new links and maintain current links with organizations nationally, regionally and internationally.  E.g. NIOSH, HSE, NCOH, SIWL, FIWL